Pet Food Recalls and Safety Alerts

Blue Ridge Beef is recalling 5,700 lbs. of their 2-pound log Natural Mix due to a contamination of Salmonella. The lot number is N25/12/31 (s) and the UPC number is 854298001054. Lot numbers are stamped in the clips on the end of the chubs/bags.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is a risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Samples of the product were collected on Jan. 8 by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and tested by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture Food and Drug Protection Laboratory. The product tested positive for Salmonella.

On Jan. 27, the firm was notified by the FDA that the product tested positive for Salmonella.

The products were distributed between Jan. 3. 2025 to Jan. 24, 2025. The product is packaged in clear plastic and sold primarily in retail stores located in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York State, Tennessee and Rhode Island. 

Products affected are:

What to do

Consumers who have purchased this product are urged to return to place of purchase or destroy the food in a way that children, pets, and wildlife cannot access. Do not sell or donate the recalled products. 

Do not feed the recalled product to pets or any other animals. Wash and sanitize pet food bowls, cups, and storage containers. Always ensure you wash and sanitize your hands after handling recalled food or any utensils that come in contact with recalled food. 

For more information contact blueridgebeefnc@yahoo.com or 704-873-2072.

Cats and birds aren't exactly similar but they're both proving to be susceptible to avian influenza A (H5N1) -- bird flu in other words. Since the bird flu outbreak began in March 2024, dozens of cats are known to have contracted the virus. 

It's not just your neighbor's tabby that's at risk. Barn and feral cats, indoor cats and big cats like mountain lions and tigers are all susceptible, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). 

Cats are not necessarily more likely to catch the virus but they are more likely to become seriously ill, the AVMA said. 

The biggest risk factor for indoor cats appears to be raw diets, those that include unpasteurized milk and raw or undercooked meat -- including commercially available raw pet food. Some pet food makers have conducted product recalls and federal officials are imposing new pet food safety rules.

Bird flu “is an emerging contaminant in animal food,” Dr. Steve Grube, a chief medical officer at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said at a recent briefing, according to The New York Times. 

California and Oregon have reported bird flu cases in cats fed raw milk or pet food. 

How the virus is getting into pet food isn't clear but an FDA spokesman said last week that some samples appeared to be closely related genetically to samples from turkey farms in Minnesota.

Cats can also be infected by being exposed to infected wild birds or poultry and to people who work on farms where they might come in contact with infected birds or other animals.

The good news about bird flu in cats is that they appear to be dead-end hosts for the disease, meaning that they don't pass it on to humans or other animals. 

What to do

How can you prevent your cat from catching bird flu? Here's what the AVMA recommends:

• Refrain from feeding cats any dairy products or colostrum that have not first been pasteurized or thoroughly cooked to kill the virus.
• Thoroughly cook meat before feeding, and avoid feeding raw meat-based treats or diets.
• Keep cats indoors to prevent exposure to birds and other wildlife.
• Avoid contact with sick or dead birds and other wildlife yourself.
• Keep cats away from livestock, poultry, and their environments, especially in areas with known H5N1 outbreaks.
• Take steps to prevent contact between captive big cats and wild birds (e.g., covering enclosures with netting and removing bird attractants nearby) in areas where H5N1 is circulating.
• Thoroughly wash your hands after handling your cat and after any encounters with poultry, livestock, or wild birds and other animals.
• Change your clothes and shoes, and thoroughly wash any exposed skin, after interacting with sick or dead animals that may harbor the H5N1 virus, and before interacting with your cat.
• Immediately contact your veterinarian if you notice signs of H5N1 or think your cat might have been exposed to the virus.

What are the symptoms

Illness may start with loss of appetite, lethargy, and fever, then quickly progress, with cats exhibiting:

• Neurologic signs (e.g., ataxia, circling, tremors, seizures, or blindness)
• Severe depression
• Copious nasal discharge
• Other respiratory signs, including tachypnea, dyspnea, and possibly sneezing or coughing

If your cat has neurological symptoms, the vet should consider rabies as a possible diagnosis.

What about dogs?

Dogs appear to be less susceptible to the virus than cats or birds and generally have milder symptoms but contaminated food is risky for canines too, veterianarians warn.  

What's being done?

The FDA last week announced that pet food manufacturers were being required to "reanalyze their food safety plans to include Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus (specifically H5N1) as a known or reasonably foreseeable hazard."

The FDA is tracking cases of H5N1 in domestic and wild cats in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington State that are associated with eating contaminated food products.

"As we learn more about the transmission of H5N1 in animal food, there are several practices that the FDA is encouraging pet food manufacturers and others in the supply chain to use to significantly minimize or prevent H5N1 transmission through animal food," the agency said in an advisory.

"These practices include seeking ingredients from flocks or herds that are healthy, and taking processing steps, such as heat treatment, that are capable of inactivating viruses."

TFP Nutrition of Nacogdoches, Texas, is recalling Retriever All Life Stages Mini Chunk Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food.

The product may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever.

Dogs with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting.

No dog or human illness has been reported to date.

The recalled product, which comes in 50 lb bags with “3277 TFP” or “3278 TFP”and the “best by” date 10/24 on the second line of the date code, was sold in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product and would like a replacement product or refund, may contact TFP Nutrition toll-free at (800) 330-3048, Monday through Sunday, 8 am – 5 pm (CST) or online at tfpnutrition.com/recall.

Mid America Pet Food of Mount Pleasant, Texas, is recalling one lot of Victor Super Premium Dog Food, Hi-Pro Plus.

The product may be contaminated with Salmonella. Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting.

No human or pet illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled product, which consists of 644 cases sold in 5-lb bags with lot code 1000016385 on the back of the bag and Best By Date 4/30/2024, was shipped to various distributors and retailers nationwide.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not feed it to pets or any other animals, but destroy it in a way that children, pets and wildlife cannot access, and wash and sanitize pet food bowls, cups and storage containers.

Consumers with questions may contact Mid America Pet Food at (888) 428-7544 from 8 AM to 5 PM (CT) Monday through Friday or by email at info@mapf.com.

Stormberg Foods is recalling various sizes and batches of Beg & Barker Chicken Breast Strips Dog Treat, Billo’s Best Friend Chicken Breast Strips Dog Treat, and Green Coast Pets Chicken Crisps Dog Treat.

The products may be contaminated with salmonella. No illnesses have been reported to date.

A list of the recalled products, packaged in branded plastic bags and sold nationwide in retail stores and online, may be found here.

Coding information can be found on the back of each package to the left or right of the UPC code.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products and/or have pets who have become ill should notify the company by email at stormbergship@gmail.com immediately with all product information to receive return or proper disposal information.

Consumers with questions may contact the firm at (919) 947-6011 Monday through Saturday from 3:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (EST) or by the email address listed above.

Primal Pet Foods is recalling a single lot (66 cases) of Raw Frozen Primal Patties for Dogs Beef Formula.

The product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. There have been no complaints or reports of illness in pets or humans.

The recalled product, which comes in flexible packaging, lot #W10068709 with a best by date of 05/22/23, was sold from the freezer at select pet stores in Maryland, Georgia, Texas, and British Columbia in late April 2022.

The lot number and best by date are on the lower third of the back of the package.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should stop feeding it to their dogs and dispose of it immediately.

Consumers with questions may contact Primal Pet Foods online or by phone at (800) 742-1312 Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. (PST) for more information.

Freshpet is recalling a single lot of Freshpet Select Fresh From the Kitchen Home Cooked Chicken Recipe.

The product may be contaminated with salmonella.

There have been no reports of illnesses, injuries, or adverse reactions to date.

The recalled product -- which comes in a 4.5 lb. bag with UPC code 627975011673 and a Sell by Date of 10/29/22 -- may have been sold at some Walmart stores in Alabama and Georgia, as well as in certain Target stores and other select retailers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia.

What to do

Consumers who have questions or would like to report adverse reactions may contact the firm at (800) 285-0563 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (EDT) and on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (EDT).

Woody’s Pet Food Deli of Minneapolis, Minn., is recalling Raw Cornish Hen pet food “With Supplements” sticker.

The product may be contaminated with salmonella.

A list of the products, sold in the company’s retail stores in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and Woodbury, Minnesota, may be found here.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should discontinue using it and return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the firm's stores Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. (CST) at (612) 208-0335 (Minneapolis), (651) 493-7269 (St Paul), and (651) 340-8678 (Woodbury).

Tuffy's Pet Foods is recalling approximately 1,600 cases of Pure Vita Salmon Entree Dog Food.

The product may contain elevated levels of Vitamin D, which can cause adverse reactions in dogs of all sizes, including symptoms such as vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling, and weight loss.

There are no reports of illness or injury to date.

The recalled product -- which comes in a 12.5-oz. TetraPak carton with a lot number between 0629101N1 and 0901101N1 and UPC 0 73893 96202 1 -- has “best by dates” of June 9, 2023, and September 1, 2023. It was shipped to distributors and retail stores within the U.S.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should stop feeding it to their pets immediately and return it to their retailer for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact Tuffy’s Pet Foods at (800) 525-9155 Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (CT), or by email at tufcustservice@klnfamilybrands.com.

Fromm Family Foods is recalling approximately 5,500 cases of Fromm Shredded Entrée dog food.

The products may have elevated levels of Vitamin D, which can cause vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling, and weight loss. There are no reports of illness or injury to date

A list of the recalled products, packaged in 12-oz. cans with a Best By Date of 08/2024 and sold at neighborhood pet stores nationwide, may be found here.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should stop feeding them to their dogs and return them to their retailer.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at (800) 325-6331 Monday through Friday from 8:00 am --5:00 pm (CT), or by email at info@frommfamily.com.

Top Quality Dog Food of Hyattsville, Md., is recalling 1-lb. packages Beef HVM.

The product may be contaminated with Salmonella and Listeria Monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled product, lot #071521, was distributed in Washington, D.C., Maryland. Virginia, Delaware Massachusetts, Connecticut and South Carolina, and sold through mail order and direct delivery from July 21, 2021, through August 2, 2021.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should discard it immediately, or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the firm at (240) 802-6601 Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (EST) or by email at customerservice@topqualitydogfood.com